Editor’s Note: Good morning. Today we have local foodie Sarah Stromquist dishing out her love for the holiday season and some wonderfully delicious season-themed treats. Yum. Here she is:

I‘m not sure if anyone knows just how much I love Christmas, but there are the definite tell tale signs – my house is decorated on December 1st without fail and Christmas carols play endlessly from that point forward while I sing unabashedly loud in yuletide bliss.

My house is always filled with the aroma of freshly baked goodies to share with guests who always do. The treasured books of the season are perched by my desk and read nightly to the young ones, as we cuddle up by the fire and bask in the moment.

It is a personal mission of mine to partake in every holiday craft and community event possible - making for a rich Christmas drenched in spirit. All along I secretly wish for snow to blanket the ground finishing off the seasonal atmosphere, and allow us to have a quirky kid made snow person in the yard.

Yes, I thoroughly enjoy it all as I relive my youth and hope that my children will have memories that last forever.

But nothing feels more festive and fills me with joy than being able to share the holidays with all of our wonderful family and friends eating wonderful foods.

Although the gifts are bought, made and wrapped, the cards are mailed off and the endless stream of guests have already started coming, what people may not have guessed is that throughout the holidays I do not like to spend endless hours slaving like Mrs. Claus in the kitchen.

I prep for the season so that I am able to enjoy it. That is why I seek out tasty quick and easy recipes that will fool anyone into thinking that I slaved in the kitchen.

This month I have shortened my usual barrage of recipes and opted to pass along two fool-proof recipes. Now, you too can be the queen, or king, of the kitchen and wow your family and friends without spending the holidays in an apron and oven mitts.

So, keep your hair down and make evening plans because both of these recipes can be made a few days ahead to make it even easier.

To finish off any dinner at this time of year, cheesecake can elevate dessert to an extraordinary event. For something that is quite easy to make, people have this unfounded fear of trying it. Or, it may be the cost of the ingredients – but it’s definitely worth its weight in gold.

Cheesecake can take on any flavor you give it, but I like this one for Christmas time. So, dazzle your family with a cheesecake delight and try my Double Chocolate-Candy Cane Cheesecake.

Double Chocolate-Candy Cane Cheesecake

-Heat oven to 350C,

-Mix 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs with 3 Tbsp white sugar and 3 Tbsp melted butter,

-Press into bottom of a 9 inch spring foam pan, and

-Bake 10 -12 minutes.

-Melt 4 oz white chocolate,

-In a large bowl beat (with a mixer) 3-250g pkg cream cheese with ¾ cup white sugar,

-Add melted chocolate and 1 tsp peppermint extract,

-Add in 3 eggs, one at a time until just blended,

-Pour into prepared crust,

-Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is just set, and

-Let cool in pan, running a knife around before removing the rim.

Cheesecake can be stored in the fridge for up to three days, until ready to eat. Before serving, top off with mint flavored whipped cream and crushed candy canes. Garnish with dark chocolate curls. Scrumptious!!!

Cheesecake is great for a dinner dessert but if you would like to give something special to a loved one, try making truffles. The best part of truffles is that you can make a double batch at a time and they last for about a week - if you don’t eat them all before then!

They can be flavored in any way that you’d like, so be adventurous and replicate your favorite ones. I chose to make Peppermint Truffles this year from a recipe that I found on the Food Channel and changed the flavoring.

These truffles taste silky and sinful and will prove to be a favorite to make, to share and to eat.

Sarah’s Sinful Truffles

For a single recipe,

-Heat 1/3 cup whipping cream and 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan just to simmer,

-Remove from heat and add 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chunks and stir to melt,

-Add 1 ½ tsp flavoring (peppermint in this case, but try amaretto, orange or lavender),

-Stir until glossy and pour into chilled bowl to set until firm,

-Once firm use a small melon baller to scoop out the ganache,

-Dip into cocoa and roll by hand into round balls, and

-Chill again to firm.

-For the coating, melt 6 oz dark chocolate with 2 Tbsp solid vegetable shortening in a double broiler,

-Stir until melted,

-Drop each ball individually into chocolate, roll and remove with a fork,

-Place on parchment paper,

-Garnish with coconut, cane sugar or any such complimenting delight to fancy up the top, and

-Chill when done.

One more thing I would like to share is a cookie dough gift idea that I have been giving this year. I made some Molasses-Gingerbread cookie dough (Martha Stewart has a great recipe I recommend) and divided it into four parts.
I wrapped each one in plastic wrap and tied with paper and ribbon and added a simple instruction tag.

Anyone, especially those with kids, would love to just pop some fresh cookies into the oven. It is a nice gift not having to go through the time of prepping the dough, but still having all the goodness and all the fun.

Now you can dazzle everyone with your kitchen skills and relish in the holiday season.

To each and every one of you, I wish you a very Merry Christmas.